Nankabirwa Calls for Clean Cooking Solutions for Refugee Communities

  • Ugandan Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa has called for sustainable, clean cooking solutions to support Uganda’s extensive refugee population.
  • The proposal is in line with Uganda’s broader Energy Transition Plan, which the government unveiled at COP28.

Ugandan Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa has called for sustainable, clean cooking solutions to support Uganda’s extensive refugee population and safeguard the country’s forests.

Speaking at UK’s side event on Investing in Energy, Resilience and Nature in Africa at COP29 conference taking place in Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, Nankabirwa has emphasized the urgent need to address the environmental toll associated with high firewood demand in refugee settlements, which has driven significant deforestation and impacted climate resilience efforts in the region.

Uganda hosts the largest refugee population in Africa, providing sanctuary to millions of people fleeing conflicts and crises in neighbouring countries like DRC, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Somalia, among others.

In line with Uganda’s inclusive refugee policy, which allows refugees access to land and public services, Nankabirwa highlighted the country’s commitment to addressing the environmental challenges this population growth has created.

She noted that many refugee families rely on firewood for cooking, leading to widespread deforestation as they clear forested areas for fuel.

“When refugees come, they often have no choice but to cut down trees, whether to build shelter or find fuel for cooking,” Nankabirwa explained.

To tackle this, she has advocated for the establishment of communal clean cooking facilities within refugee communities, which would use cleaner energy sources rather than firewood.

This approach, she explained, would not only help protect Uganda‘s forest reserves but also address the health hazards associated with traditional wood-burning stoves.

The health risks are severe, she shared, recounting her personal experience of losing a family member potentially due to indoor air pollution from wood-burning stoves.

These clean cooking centres would not only reduce deforestation but also improve the air quality for thousands of families who are currently exposed to harmful smoke daily.

The proposal is in line with Uganda’s broader Energy Transition Plan, which the government unveiled at COP28. This plan emphasises the country’s commitment to renewable energy sources, which already make up a majority of its energy mix.

Nankabirwa highlighted that 90 per cent of Uganda’s energy generation comes from renewable sources, primarily hydropower. The communal cooking facilities, she noted, would align with Uganda’s goals to expand clean energy use and make sustainable energy accessible and affordable across the country.

Through its partnerships with the United Kingdom, Uganda aims to secure funding and technical support for these clean cooking projects, ensuring that they meet both environmental and humanitarian goals. Nankabirwa’s proposal also calls attention to the physical and logistical burdens that refugees-primarily women and children-face in their daily search for firewood.

She underscored that clean cooking centres would alleviate these demands, allowing families more time and energy for other activities, and ultimately enhancing their quality of life.

Adding to the momentum, Jenny Bates, Director General of Economics, Climate, and Global Issues at the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, expressed the UK’s commitment to supporting climate solutions in Africa.

Bates pointed out that Africa, despite contributing minimally to global carbon emissions, is among the most affected by climate change.

Currently, Africa receives only 3 per cent of global climate finance flows, a figure Bates noted is insufficient given the scale of vulnerability in African countries.

Bates also highlighted Africa’s vast potential to contribute to global climate solutions, with 60 per cent of the world’s best solar resources and the Congo Basin, the world’s largest carbon sink. She emphasised that the UK, through partnerships with organisations like British International Investment (BII), has invested heavily in sustainable energy across Africa, including solar projects in Sierra Leone, Kenya, and Egypt.

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